Life-boat.



,557. PATENTED DEC. 10, 1907. T. B. KING. I

LIFE BOAT.

APPLIGATION FILED APR. 11. 1'9 o7.

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THOMAS B. KING, OF EPHRATA, WASHINGTON.

LIFE-BOAT.

lsltetiiieation of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 10, 1907'.

Application filed Apiii 11. 1907. serial No. 367.663.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS B. KING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ephrata, in the county of Douglas and State of VaShingtOn, have invented a new and use.- ful Life Boat, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to life boats and its object is to provide a boat of this character which will not sink and in which the occupants may ride Without danger of the boat upsetting.

A still further object is to provide a boat capable of rolling or overturning in the rough sea without however causing material discomfort to the occupants thereof.

A still further object is to provide a boat which will automatically right itself should it become overturned, the occupants of the boat remaining at all times in upright positions.

fith these and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction and combinations ofparts which will be hereinafter more fully described and pointed ont in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings is shown the preferred form of the invention.

In said drawings: Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a life boat embodying the present improvements Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof and Fig. 3 is a transverse section showing the rear wall of the boat in elevation.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference, 1 and 2 designate the front and rear heads respectively of the boat, each head being preferably circular in form and provided with an inwardly extending annular flange 3. These flanges are riveted or otherwise secured to the end portions of a substantially cylindrical body 4 which preferably gradually increases in diameter toward the center thereof. The front head 1 is provided with one or more windows 5 whereby the occupants of the boat can readily see their surroundings, and the rear head 2 has an entrance opening 6 disposed to be closed by a door 7 which may be provided with suitable packing 8 so that water can not leak around the door. It is of course to be understood that this door is located in the upper portion of the head so that it will be normally above the surface of the water and if necessary one or more steps 9 may be provided upon the outer face of the head 2 so that persons can easily reach the door. An air vent 10 is formed in the top of the body 4 preferably at the center thereof and is provided with a suitable closure 11 whereby the admission of water through said vent in the event of the overturning of the boat, is prevented.

A supporting shaft 12 extends longitudinally within the boat and the ends thereof are secured to the heads 1 and 2 below the centers thereof. Hangers 13 are loosely supported by the end portions of this shaft and carry a seat 14 which extends longitudinally of the boat. Braces 15 preferably connect the ends of this seat with sleeves 16 loosely mounted on the shaft 12. It is of course to be understood that the seat 14 is located a sufficient distance below the shaft 12 to permit a person to sit thereon in an upright position, although in smaller boats the shaft 12 may be used as a handle by persons upon the seat 14. A floor 17 is secured upon the bottom portion of the body so that persons can conveniently stand in the boat when the same is comparatively quiet. In order that the boat can be steered and propelled an opening 18 is preferably formed in each side portion thereof, there being an oar lock 19 adjacent each opening so that an oar can be placed therein and used for propelling and guiding the boat. In heavy seas where the use of the oars would be impossible the openings 18 can be closed in any preferred manner as by means of slides 20.

The device herein described is designed to be carried upon vessels in lieu of the ordinary life boats and in the event of a disaster per sons can readily enter the boat by crawling through the opening 6 after which they should assume positions upon the seat 14. The door 7 should, of course, be closed after the persons have entered the boat. As the weight of the occupants 'is supported solely by the shaft 12 and as said shaft is connected to the heads 1 and 2 below the centers thereof it is obvious that this weight will tend to hold the boat normally upright. Should the boat roll or be overturned in heavy seas, however, the seat 14 would continue to be suspended below the shaft 12 and therefore the occupants would maintain their upright positions. During this rolling action the vent 10 should be closed as should also the openings 18. When, however, the boat is upright and there is no danger of the same overturning the air vent of the openings 18 may be opened.

It is of course to be understood that a boat l y such as herein described oanbe constructed to hold a large number of persons or only a few persons butin either event the construction will be substantially similar to that above described. f

Vhat is claimed is:

1. A boat comprising circular heads, a substantially cylindrical body secured at its ends to the heads, and a platform movably supported by the heads within the boat and disposed when subjected to weight, to right the boat when shifted out of normal position.

2. A boat comprising circular heads, a substantially cylindrical body secured at its ends to the heads, a shaft secured at its ends to the heads at points below the centers thereof, and a seat suspended from and pivotally connected to the shaft and constituting a weight to hold the boat normally upright.

3. A boat comprising circular heads, a subA stantially cylindrical body secured at its ends to the heads, an eccentrically mounted shaft connecting the heads at points below the centers thereof, hangers loosely supported by the end portions of the shaft, a seat carried by the hangers and constituting a weight to hold the body normally upright, said shaft constituting a handle for use by the occupant of the seat, a closure within one of the heads and above the shaft, and means in the top of the body and controlled by the occupant of the boat for Ventilating the body.

In testimony that I, claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

THOMAS B, KING.

Witnesses:

D. CHAFFEE, Jol-IN 'RJKELLEr 

